The Polish Of Workplace Wit

Cultivating a measure of mirth in the workplace is more than merely amusing.

In fact, says the March issue of Working Woman magazine, infusing your on-the-job persona with levity can be an effective way to relieve stress, boost team spirit and enhance communication.

And women, who had formerly feared that employing a comic touch might brand them as lightweight, instead are realizing the worth of wit; a measure of their growing comfort and confidence in the workplace.

``Women are beginning to recognize that it is essential to have a sense of lightness,`` Barbara Mackoff, author of a book on the subject, tells the magazine, adding that a sense of humor can be the ``ultimate polish`` for women aspiring to career upper echelons.

Yet there`s an important difference between thinking funny and being a comedian. Communicating a sense of humor can be done as subtly as smiling, or tacking cartoons to your bulletin board. What should be avoided is becoming a full-fledged comic, the magazine advises.

``A person with a sense of humor reacts with lightness,`` explains Jeanne Robertson, a humorist and professional speaker. ``Someone who is hysterically funny doesn`t necessarily exhibit grace under pressure.``

Showing a sense of humor can be a particular asset for managers, the story contends, because it can reinforce authority and build loyalty.